Fish Question

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:37 pm

My wife and I purchased a fish tank and of course fish before I realized you had a pet store. Well I just got orders to move to Charleston SC. I figure thats around an 8 hour drive. Would you have any recomendations on how to move the fish? Would they even survive an 8 hour drive?

Oh yeah, they are freshwater! Sorry, if I had known this was here I would have been posting a long time ago!Thanks!

Post by **Doug** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:08 am

It's do-able. Being freshwater makes it easier. You can take some dechlorinator with you and change out some water if necessary along the way. Be sure to match the water temp if you do, and don't change more than half. If you don't have too many fish, or can separate them into more than one container, it would work better.

The main thing is to not let them get hot, which means they need to ride in the A/C. Ger can probably set you up with some styro fish boxes and those full-box size heavy bags that fish are shipped in. Use the same tank water to transport them, and don't feed the fish for 2-3 days before you go. A battery operated air pump would be helpful, too.

Also try to preserve your filter materials. When you get there and set the tank back up, an established filter will help things get going back much better than new. If you use an undergravel filter, try to keep at least a fourth of the gravel unwashed, preserving the biological activity in it. It will look mucky when you set it back up, but it will clear up in a day.

BTW, about the real name thing. Please do change it. It's something we picked up from another hobbyist forum, and it works real well at keeping the whole place positive, with no juvenile BS. We had a guy register there once who tried to use some German word for "enemy of mankind". I don't know about you, but if somebody came into my aquarium store calling themselves that, well, you know...

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:22 pm

Thanks!

Post by **Gerwin** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:33 pm

that is exactly the correct answer. most important points is the do not feed fish prior, and the keeping of some gravel unwashed for the biological activity when you get where you are going and the STYRO boxes a must the high temp of summer travel will kill them faster than anything.
I have a had a good customer move his 15" arowana to Orlando and back to BIloxi when he was 18" with no problems using the above methods.

And on a trip do not feed your fish while you are traveling!!! you have no filtration! and the water change at hotels is something that I also advise as well as the battery pump (12-16 bux)

Ya know Doug, its almost like I told you how to do this before...

Post by **Doug** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:36 pm

No, sahmbeech, I told you. You learned at my knee, remember, grasshopper?

Post by **Gerwin** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:37 am

ahhhh, I believe we started at the same time but you left the temple and I still chant there everyday...

hmm you may have made the better move